


Variations on a Theme

by fits_in_frames



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Dancing, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Other, Slow Dancing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-24
Updated: 2019-07-24
Packaged: 2020-07-12 14:33:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19947742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fits_in_frames/pseuds/fits_in_frames
Summary: Aziraphale wants to learn how to dance. Crowley has some ideas. (Not necessarily good ideas, but they certainly are ideas.)





	Variations on a Theme

**Author's Note:**

> I am working on a longer, more involved fic, but the idea of this one grabbed me and would not let go. In the novel, Crowley has a large soul music collection, and I figure modern!Crowley would have some very carefully curated playlists on his phone. I made a YouTube playlist of songs mentioned/referenced, which is linked below. (No Queen because his phone has never stayed in his car for more than a fortnight!) Also there is a detail in here that I lifted directly from an anecdote that my parents have told me many times about their dancing abilities, see if you can spot it :)
> 
> Thanks to [fabrega](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fabrega/) and [zaphodthebb](https://archiveofourown.org/users/zaphodthebb) for the beta-reads <3
> 
> [Playlist of songs](https://www.youtube.com/watch_videos?video_ids=2gG9YSaf4Mg,TZCfydWF48c,NX3eplLVc0g,8fo6Hmh89ms,kMXBJW1PuU8,A9pd3M1Sxe8,ydFYm-oomec,z2qoihbzc3E,CeADaAg0f_w,R4GLAKEjU4w,0O8m0mMDpHw,EQq-KwgolxE,Dl5usKhGz60,S-cbOl96RFM,Qol952UDurQ,) (if the link is dead or any of the videos don't work, please let me know)

The whole thing was Aziraphale's idea.

Crowley reminded him of this as they left the dance hall. "You're the one who wanted to learn how to dance properly."

Aziraphale huffed, trying to keep up with Crowley's long, quick strides. "I know--"

"And you're the one who decided to sign up for a ballroom class that required a partner. I was just along for the ride."

"Yes, but--"

Crowley stopped in the street and turned to face Aziraphale, who was looking a bit more uptight than usual. "But what?"

Aziraphale, attempting to appear very calm, said, "You could have at least tried to help me."

"You tripped over your own feet doing the very first dance! You almost turned everyone into human dominoes!"

"I didn't realize the waltz would be so complicated!"

"Even _I_ can do the waltz, angel."

"Yes, well. Thank you for keeping me moving so I didn't cause a pileup."

Crowley sneered a little, but there was no malice in it. They continued down the street for a few minutes in silence before Crowley offered, "I could show you how to dance."

"No, thank you," Aziraphale said immediately. "I don't need to know what kind of debauchery you get up to in your spare time."

"That's not what I meant. I meant, y'know, how to dance to something that's not Strauss."

"Strauss is a bit stuffy, isn't he?"

Crowley smiled for the first time since they left the dance hall. "C'mon," he said, and continued towards the bookshop.

Once inside, Crowley bolted towards the back room. Aziraphale locked the door and heard Winter from _The Four Seasons_ coming from inside. He was quite pleased by Crowley's choice of music, but feared dancing to it might be a problem. By the time Aziraphale entered the room, the Vivaldi had turned off and Crowley was tinkering with something on the phonograph. He stepped back to reveal it was his mobile phone, which was fused with the older technology.

"What have you done--" Aziraphale started.

"Don't worry, it's just temporary."

Aziraphale pouted a little.

"I'll fix it when we're done, come on," Crowley said, holding out his hand.

"All right," Aziraphale said, taking it.

"Right, let's start with something easy," Crowley said, tossing his sunglasses on the nearest surface and leading the two of them to the middle of the small room. "Alexa1, play 'Classic Dance Jams' playlist."

An upbeat song with the vague sound of violins started blaring out of the phonograph's speaker. Crowley's limbs flung themselves about, his shoulders shook, his head bobbed to one side and then the other.

Aziraphale just stood there, with a face like he had just eaten a lemon.

"What?" Crowley said over the music, still flailing around.

"How am I supposed to dance to this?"

"It's literally called 'Dancing Queen', just make something up."

"I'd rather not."

Crowley scoffed. "Ach, fine." He flicked his fingers in the air, and a new song came on. "This one has a pre-made dance to go with it."

Crowley started shimmying his hips back and forth, arms moving opposite. He grabbed Aziraphale's hand to help him.

"I don't like this," Aziraphale said, frustrated, after just a few twists. He did not let go of Crowley's hand, but also did not move.

Crowley growled and flicked his fingers a few more times. Something tropical, something beat-heavy, a few somethings that were far too energetic for Aziraphale's tastes, and, in what seemed like a last-ditch effort, something that required Crowley to form letters with his body. Aziraphale either scowled or refused to move for more than a few seconds to each song, especially the last one, which neither of them particularly liked.

"I like to dance with a partner," Aziraphale finally said while Crowley desperately scrolled through his music library. "That's why I signed up for the class."

Crowley waved his hand dismissively. "I think we just haven't found the right genre and I can't remember the name of the playlist--ah, there it is!" He tapped triumphantly, and a slow-ish but rhythmic song started playing.

 _Don't know much about history_ , sang the man on the speaker, _don't know much biology…_

Crowley started swaying his hips just a little, arms moving easily around his torso. Aziraphale raised an eyebrow. "Come on, if you can't dance to Sam Cooke, then we are right and truly screwed." He took Aziraphale's hand again, gently guiding him into the rhythm of the song. And, finally, Aziraphale slowly followed along. Crowley grinned very, very widely.

"Don't look so pleased with yourself," Aziraphale teased, trying to hide a smile. "It's just a bit slower, that's all."

"Mmhmm," Crowley replied as the song changed. This one was slightly more upbeat but settled into a similar, gentle groove. Crowley started mouthing the words to himself, almost reflexively. _Now how I wish I had someone to talk to, I'm in an awful way…_

"This one sounds like the last one," Aziraphale said.

"It's the same singer, Aziraphale, the same style," Crowley countered, snapping out of his reverie. "Think of it as...variations on a theme."

Aziraphale nodded but then stopped moving almost entirely. "And it's rather sad, isn't it?"

"I suppose," Crowley said, sounding slightly disappointed.

"Also we're not really dancing...together," Aziraphale continued. "I mean, we're near each other but not together. That's the fun of dancing, right?"

Crowley gave a small, knowing smile. "Alexa, play Slow Jams playlist," he said, and a song with wobbly, intense bass came through the speaker. Crowley, looking slightly panicked, shouted, "No Alexa, Slow Jams, with an S, not Slow Jamz with a Z!" The song switched, and it sounded much more similar to the previous ones.

"And what was that?" Aziraphale said, doing his best to sound equal parts offended and surprised.2

"Nothing," Crowley said quickly, cheeks flushing slightly. "Now stand on my feet."

"What?" Aziraphale said, and didn't move.

"C'mon, it's how little kids learn how to dance," Crowley said, and Aziraphale gingerly did as he was told. Crowley placed Aziraphale's hand firmly on his hip and his own hand on Aziraphale's shoulder, and laced the fingers on their remaining hands together. "Now just do what I do," he said, and started to sway them gently.

 _If you ever change your mind_ , crooned Sam through the phonograph, _about leaving, leaving me behind…_

"Oh," Aziraphale said, looking down at his feet on top of Crowley's. "This one is a bit sad, too."

Crowley rolled his eyes. "So particular, angel," he said, affectionately. He took his hand off Aziraphale's shoulder and flicked his fingers once more. "I think you can step down now," he added, and Aziraphale did.

A slow, syrupy song started. Crowley pulled Aziraphale closer to him, pulled their clasped hands in towards them. They were cheek to cheek now, and a woman started singing.

 _At last, my love has come along…_

"Bit on the nose, isn't it?" Aziraphale said, quietly, directly into Crowley's ear.

"This is one of the most indulgently romantic songs ever recorded, will you _please_ shut up?" Crowley hissed, not breaking his concentration on his footwork at all.

Aziraphale only gave Crowley a quick peck on the cheek before moving his hand to the small of his back.

They very quickly became a tangle of arms and shoulders and waists, more of an embrace than proper dance form. They probably could have stayed there forever, just enjoying the feeling of holding each other so close, but then the next song came on, which snapped them out of their ballad-induced haze.

They pulled apart, just a little, and Crowley stretched his neck a bit to kiss Aziraphale's forehead. "I told you I could show you."

"Well, it's not the gavotte," Aziraphale said, "but it will do." The sappy smile on his face could have lit up the entire city of London.

Crowley sighed, and started humming along as they resumed their slow, gentle sway.

**Author's Note:**

> Footnotes:
> 
> 1Crowley's phone did not come with any digital assistant installed, but he assumed that it did, so there she was.  
> 2He was neither.
> 
> {I am [dreamsincolor](https://dreamsincolor.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr, come say hi!}


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